


Lotte's Birthday

by thisjustout



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 13:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18718174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisjustout/pseuds/thisjustout
Summary: Akko has promised Lotte an extraordinary birthday...but she's always been a little forgetful.





	Lotte's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [argentconflagration](https://archiveofourown.org/users/argentconflagration/gifts).



On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Lotte was still rubbing her eyes when she stepped outside her dorm, and thus barely had time to notice Akko’s form barelling down the hallway before she found herself wrapped in a tight hug.

“Good morning!” Akko yelled. She planted a kiss on Lotte’s cheek. Then she glanced further down the hall. “Constance, have you seen my wand? I can’t find it anywhere!”

Constance grunted and shook her head.

“Dang it! This is important!”

Lotte didn’t even get a chance to say “good morning” before Akko sprinted back in the direction she’d come from. Lotte watched her girlfriend leave, then turned back to Constance, bewildered.

Constance shrugged. _Happy birthday,_ she signed.

* * *

Twenty minutes and one breakfast later, Lotte was flying laps around the academy grounds, letting the cool wind wake her up completely. She had the skies to herself; it was almost noon, so most students would be either in town or still asleep.

“Akko didn’t forget about my birthday,” Lotte said. “She couldn’t forget...could she?”

The spirit inside her broom buzzed happily.

Lotte sighed. He probably didn’t understand her words, or even her emotions. Brooms weren’t the most empathetic of magical spirits; they mostly just wanted to be flown.

_Could she?_

Of course she could. Akko had forgotten her _own_ birthday before—twice. And they’d only been dating for two months.

“Oh dear.” Lotte felt herself deflate a little. She had been looking forward to this day. Akko had promised _big plans!!_ for Lotte’s birthday. But that had been weeks ago.

Confronting Akko about this would be very awkward. Maybe she could just...tell someone else instead. Sucy? Or maybe she didn’t have to tell Akko at all; there was no need to upset her. Maybe she could just forget about her birthday for now, and wait for Akko to figure it out on her own, a few weeks...months...down the road.

The more Lotte thought about it, the worse she felt. She turned—

“Boo,” said a voice directly in Lotte’s ear.

She yelped, and nearly fell out of her broom. “Sucy!” Lotte said when the girl pulled up beside her. “That was mean!”

“You shouldn’t get lost in your thoughts like that,” Sucy said. “I could have killed you.”

“That’s not comforting!” Lotte struggled to keep the anger out of her voice. Sucy’s pranks normally didn’t upset her this much, but she was already in a bad mood. “What are you even doing up here?” They were high—Lotte hadn’t realized it until now, but she’d been flying steadily upward for a while. Now that she was hovering next to Sucy, the school buildings below them looked like little toy houses.

Sucy shrugged.

Lotte gave her a flat stare.

 _“Fine,”_ Sucy said, rolling her eyes. “I came to say happy birthday.”

Lotte felt some of her tension dissipate. “Thank you, Sucy. That means a lot.”

Sucy’s normal impassive expression gave way—slightly—to concern. “You look sad.”

“Akko forgot my birthday...” Lotte said, voice so quiet even she could barely hear herself. It sounded so _silly_ to say aloud. Such a small complaint. Especially considering all the wonderful things Akko had done for her over the last two months. But it didn’t change how she felt.

“Wow,” Sucy said.

“I know.”

“That’s just like Akko.” An awkward few seconds passed in silence before Sucy said, “In fairness, it’s kind of your fault for dating a moron.”

“Don’t be mean!” Lotte said, but she was laughing. “That _is_ just like Akko.”

Sucy sighed. “Do you...want to go into town today?”

“Maybe we could invite Akko?” Lotte ventured.

“Eh, that sounds like it would be pretty awkward.” Sucy aimed her broom toward the leyline. “Besides, I think she’s busy with something right now. Maybe she’ll remember by the time we get back. If she doesn’t, I’ll throw a calendar in her face.” With that, Sucy flew off.

* * *

They spent the early afternoon poking around the shops in town. There was hardly anything new to see, but it was still nice to spend time with Sucy. It _was_ nice, dammit, and Lotte _was_ having fun—even if it wasn’t the same as the birthday extravaganza she’d been expecting from Akko.

Just as Lotte suggested somewhere to get lunch, Sucy held up a hand, silencing her, then pulled out her phone.

“Huh,” Sucy said. “Looks like Akko finally remembered what day it is. She wants me to tell you that she’s awfully sorry, she’ll do anything to make it up to you.” Sucy looked at Lotte with her deadpan expression. _“Anything,”_ she repeated.

Lotte felt the color rising to her cheeks. “Wait,” she said, “Why is Akko telling you this? She has my number, doesn’t she? Or did—”

Sucy grinned.

“Hey!” Lotte said, giving her friend a playful shove. “Don’t get my hopes up like that!”

“Alright, alright, sorry,” Sucy said, pushing Lotte away. “But we really should head back to campus. I’ve got to study for the potions test.”

Lotte sighed. “Yeah. Me too.”

As far as birthdays went, this one had been...bad. There were no two ways around it. A phonecall from her parents and an uncharacteristic act of kindness from Sucy didn’t nearly compensate for the shitiness of being forgotten by her own girlfriend.

 _I have to talk to Akko about it,_ Lotte decided as they flew back to campus. It wouldn’t be fair—for either of them—if she said nothing and simply let her resentment grow. Still, she dreaded the conversation. _Tonight. If I don’t do it tonight, I never will._

When Lotte began walking toward the dorms, Sucy grabbed her wrist and gestured toward the main schoolhouse. “Come with me.”

“What? Why?”

“Just come.”

Lotte hesitated.

“I _will_ drug you and carry you over my shoulder.” Sucy sighed. “I want to show you something important. Come on.” She tugged Lotte’s arm.

Nervously, Lotte let Sucy lead her through the main entrance and the grand atrium. Few people were about—just the occasional professor or lost-looking first-year. Sucy stopped and pointed to a door. “It’s in there.”

“What is?”

In response, Sucy opened the door...to a storage closet.

“What am I supposed to be looking—Hey!” A sudden shove sent Lotte tumbling forward into the closet.

She landed on grass.

Lotte blinked as she tried to stand, dizzied by the shift in perspective. Afternoon had become night. The relative silence of Luna Nova had given way to the unmistakable sounds of a city—cars, people, water. Water? Yes, a gentle lapping. She could smell it, too, along with all the other weird smells of a city. Where was she?

Finally Lotte got to her feet. Yes, this was a city. Well-lit against the night sky, a beautiful wide river stretching out in front of her, and in the distance, a building she recognized instantly from postcards.

Paris. Why was she in _Paris?_

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOTTE!” came a chorus of voices from behind her.

Startled, Lotte turned around—and there were all her friends. Wearing party hats. And carrying picnic baskets. In a park on the banks of the River Seine.

At the center of the arrangement stood Akko, smiling wide. Lotte sprinted toward her. She ignored Akko’s surprised expression and all but jumped onto her, squeezing her tightly and burying her face in Akko’s chest. _Thank you for being so tall,_ she thought.

“Uh...I’m glad you like it!” Akko returned the hug. “The portal should stay open for a while, so we have all night here!”

Lotte didn’t let go. She didn’t trust herself to speak. As stupid as it was, as _happy_ as she was, she had to fight to hold back tears.

“Uh...Lotte? OW!”

Akko leapt to the side, leaving Lotte to watch as Sucy calmly blew smoke from her wand.

“What was that for?!” Akko demanded.

“You forgot to tell Lotte happy birthday,” Sucy said, “so she thought you’d forgotten. Instead of distracting her, I had to _comfort_ her all day. It was unseemly.”

Akko turned to Lotte, her expression distraught.

Behind her, the other partyers shuffled awkwardly, some glancing conspicuously away.

Akko took Lotte’s hands in hers. “Lotte, I’m so sorry!” Oh no. Now she sounded on the verge of tears. “Today was supposed to be perfect! I didn’t think...I’m sorry,” she said again.

Lotte gazed into her girlfriend’s wide eyes. She still didn’t trust herself to speak. So instead, she grabbed Akko’s head and pulled her down into a kiss. And didn’t let go.

“Get some!” shouted Amanda, prompting laughter from some of the other girls.

Suddenly aware of everyone’s eyes on her, Lotte felt herself blushing and pulled away, finally, from the kiss. “Why don’t we get the picnic set up?” she suggested.

“Yes! Good idea!” Akko picked up the basket she’d dropped. “Everyone, get the blankets out! And the food! Quickly! Let’s give Lotte the party she deserves!”

Everyone began scrambling to comply, obviously relieved at having something to do. Once no one was looking at her, Lotte wiped away a tear, smiling as she watched them work.

* * *

Long after the party had finished, after the gifts had been opened, and after everyone else had returned home, Lotte lay snuggled up in Akko’s arms, looking out over the Seine and the city.

“Why Paris?” Lotte said.

“Hm?”

“Why’d you choose Paris, of all places?”

“Because it’s romantic!” Akko said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Why, do you not like it?”

“Of course I do,” Lotte said, smiling. She nestled herself even closer to Akko. “It’s perfect. This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

Akko pulled her arm out from underneath Lotte, and suddenly she was on top of Lotte, covering her in kisses—on her cheeks, her lips, her head, her chest. “Good,” Akko said. _Kiss._ “Because next year”— _kiss_ —“is going to be even”— _kiss_ —“better!”

Lotte felt herself melt under the weight of Akko’s affection. She didn’t know how anything could be better than this, but she trusted Akko would find a way.

**Author's Note:**

> ♥ Happy Birthday ♥


End file.
